1522 – A Collective Exhibition Against Gender Violence
Presented in Pavona di Castel Gandolfo (Rome), Rocca Colonna – Castelnuovo di Porto (Rome), San Severo al Pendino – Naples, and Sala Orsini di Palazzo Chigi – Formello – 2022
“1522” is more than just a number. It is a lifeline, the national helpline in Italy for victims of gender-based violence and stalking. In 2022, this number became the title of a powerful collective exhibition that brought together artists, activists, and communities across different locations, to confront the urgent and ongoing crisis of gender violence.
Through a diverse array of media, from visual installations to photography, the exhibition created a shared space for reflection, resistance, and healing. Each work bore witness to personal and collective experiences, transforming pain into presence, silence into voice (1).
Set across four cities, “1522” wove itself into the architecture and spirit of each location, emphasizing both the ubiquity of the issue and the strength of collective response. The exhibition aimed not only to raise awareness, but to serve as a call to action — to listen, to speak, and to support those who seek help.
By naming the exhibition after the helpline itself, “1522” anchored art directly to action, reminding us that behind every statistic is a life, and behind every work, a message: we must not look away.
The exhibition catalogue is available from here.
Rocca Colonna
Naples
Annalisa Mercuri 